Vapor deposition of a uniform thickness thin film of lubricant on at least one surface of a substrate, comprises the steps of:(a) providing an apparatus comprising:(i) a chamber having an interior space maintained below atmospheric pressure;(ii) a substrate loader/unloader for supplying the interior space with at least one substrate and for withdrawing at least one substrate from the interior space;(iii) at least one lubricant vapor source for supplying the interior space with a stream of lubricant vapor; and(iv) a substrate transporter/conveyor for continuously moving at least one substrate past the stream of vapor from the at least one lubricant vapor source;(b) supplying the interior space with a substrate having at least one surface;(c) continuously moving the substrate past the stream of lubricant vapor and depositing a uniform thickness thin film of the lubricant on the at least one surface; and(d) withdrawing the lubricant-coated substrate from the interior space.The invention has particular utility in depositing thin films of polymeric lubricants onto disc-shaped substrates in the manufacture of magnetic and MO recording media.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus for vapor depositing a uniform thickness thin film of a lubricant on at least one surface of a substrate, comprising: (a) a chamber having an interior space; (b) a substrate loader/unloader having positioned thereon at least one disk-shaped substrate, said substrate loader/unloader supplying said interior space with at least one said disk-shaped substrate and for withdrawing at least one said disk-shaped substrate from said interior space; (c) at least one elongated lubricant vapor source comprising a closed heated chamber containing a liquid lubricant, said closed heated chamber fluidly communicating with at least a plurality of primary nozzle slits for supplying a stream of lubricant vapor; and (d) a substrate transporter/conveyor for continuously moving at least one said disk-shaped substrate past said stream of lubricant vapor from said at least one elongated lubricant vapor source for depositing on at least one surface thereof a uniform thickness thin film of lubricant wherein said at least one disk-shaped substrate comprises a magnetic or magneto optical data/information storage and retrieval medium.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said chamber (a) maintains said interior space at a pressure below atmospheric pressure.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said substrate loader/unloader (b) is structured to provide cooling/condensation of said lubricant vapor for preventing escape of said lubricant vapor from said interior space of said chamber.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said substrate loader/unloader (b) is structured to supply and withdraw at least one said disc-shaped substrate having a pair of opposed surfaces and said substrate transporter/conveyor (d) is structured to mount or grip at least one said disc-shaped substrate.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said at least one elongated lubricant vapor source (c) has a length greater than an outer diameter of said disc-shaped substrate.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one elongated vapor source (c) further comprises a plurality of secondary nozzle slits for increased collimation of said stream of lubricant vapor.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a spaced-apart plurality of said elongated lubricant vapor sources (c) arranged along a path of transport/conveyance of said at least one disc-shaped substrate within said interior space of said chamber.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said chamber (a) is cylindrically-shaped with circularly-shaped upper and lower ends; said substrate loader/unloader (b) comprises at least one combined substrate load/unload station on one of said upper and lower ends; said spaced-apart plurality of lubricant vapor sources (c) comprises a first plurality of radially extending, elongated lubricant vapor sources for depositing a thin film of lubricant on a first one of said pair of opposed surfaces of said disc-shaped substrate; and said substrate transporter/conveyor (d) is structured to move said at least one disc-shaped substrate in a circular path past each of said first plurality of radially extending, elongated lubricant vapor sources.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said spaced-apart plurality of lubricant vapor sources (c) comprises a second plurality of radially extending, elongated lubricant vapor sources for depositing a thin film of lubricant on a second one of said pair of opposed surfaces of said disc-shaped substrate.
10. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said chamber (a) is an elongated, rectangular box-shaped chamber having a pair of longitudinally extending front and rear walls; said substrate loader/unloader (b) comprises a substrate load lock chamber connected to said chamber at a first end of said front wall and a substrate exit lock chamber connected to said chamber at a second end of said front wall; each of said spaced-apart plurality of elongated lubricant vapor sources (c) extends transversely across said front wall in the space between said load lock and said exit chambers; and said substrate transporter/conveyor (d) is structured to move said at least one disc-shaped substrate in a linear path past each of the transversely extending, elongated lubricant vapor sources.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 6, 2001
September 2, 2003
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